EP0805028A3 - Method and apparatus for detection of short circuits in thermal ink jet printers - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for detection of short circuits in thermal ink jet printers Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0805028A3
EP0805028A3 EP97302925A EP97302925A EP0805028A3 EP 0805028 A3 EP0805028 A3 EP 0805028A3 EP 97302925 A EP97302925 A EP 97302925A EP 97302925 A EP97302925 A EP 97302925A EP 0805028 A3 EP0805028 A3 EP 0805028A3
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
address
line
data
printer
ink jet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP97302925A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0805028A2 (en
EP0805028B1 (en
Inventor
John Philip Bolash
Mark Joseph Edwards
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Lexmark International Inc
Original Assignee
Lexmark International Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Lexmark International Inc filed Critical Lexmark International Inc
Publication of EP0805028A2 publication Critical patent/EP0805028A2/en
Publication of EP0805028A3 publication Critical patent/EP0805028A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0805028B1 publication Critical patent/EP0805028B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J29/00Details of, or accessories for, typewriters or selective printing mechanisms not otherwise provided for
    • B41J29/38Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
    • B41J29/393Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine ; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/015Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/0451Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits for detecting failure, e.g. clogging, malfunctioning actuator
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/015Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/04511Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits for electrostatic discharge protection
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/015Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/04541Specific driving circuit
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/015Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/04543Block driving
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/015Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/0458Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles

Landscapes

  • Ink Jet (AREA)
  • Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
  • Accessory Devices And Overall Control Thereof (AREA)

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for detection of low to moderate impedance short circuits on any driven line (P1-Pn) of a thermal ink jet printer to inhibit damage to printer driver circuitry (60), principally active elements thereof. The printer includes a printhead (28) having a plurality of thermally activated print nozzles therein for ink ejection upon thermal agitation of the ink within the nozzle. The printer also includes data drive lines (P1-Pn) driven by data line drivers (60) and address drive lines driven by address line drivers for selection and activation of nozzle heater active elements associated with each of the nozzles by effecting current flow through a heater element associated with each of said nozzles upon selection by associated address and data line activation. One method includes the steps of energizing one of a data line (P1-Pn) and address lines associated with at least one thermal ink jet nozzle on the printhead (28), detecting a lower than normal impedance on the energized line (P1-Pn), and inhibiting further activation or energization of at least one of the data and address line drivers. The inhibiting step may be accomplished, for example, by disabling the power supply (44) associated with driver (60) associated with the line having lower than normal impedance and/or by preventing the printer driver circuit from providing data and/or address signals to the printhead (28).
EP97302925A 1996-04-29 1997-04-29 Method and apparatus for detection of short circuits in thermal ink jet printers Expired - Lifetime EP0805028B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US639385 1984-08-10
US08/639,385 US5736997A (en) 1996-04-29 1996-04-29 Thermal ink jet printhead driver overcurrent protection scheme

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0805028A2 EP0805028A2 (en) 1997-11-05
EP0805028A3 true EP0805028A3 (en) 1999-03-10
EP0805028B1 EP0805028B1 (en) 2003-07-02

Family

ID=24563875

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97302925A Expired - Lifetime EP0805028B1 (en) 1996-04-29 1997-04-29 Method and apparatus for detection of short circuits in thermal ink jet printers

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US5736997A (en)
EP (1) EP0805028B1 (en)
JP (1) JPH10128965A (en)
KR (1) KR100432072B1 (en)
AU (1) AU713118B2 (en)
BR (1) BR9701959B1 (en)
CA (1) CA2198996C (en)
DE (1) DE69723152T2 (en)

Families Citing this family (38)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5942900A (en) * 1996-12-17 1999-08-24 Lexmark International, Inc. Method of fault detection in ink jet printhead heater chips
JP3849198B2 (en) * 1997-02-10 2006-11-22 ブラザー工業株式会社 Inkjet head drive circuit
US6312072B1 (en) * 1997-05-01 2001-11-06 Pitney Bowes Inc. Disabling a printing mechanism in response to an out of ink condition
US5970220A (en) * 1997-10-15 1999-10-19 Lexmark International, Inc. Printer having universal image port and related system and method
EP0914953B1 (en) 1997-10-30 2002-05-08 Hewlett-Packard Company, A Delaware Corporation Electrical interconnect cleaning system for inkjet cartridges
US6039428A (en) * 1998-05-13 2000-03-21 Hewlett-Packard Company Method for improving ink jet printer reliability in the presence of ink shorts
US6254211B1 (en) * 1998-12-22 2001-07-03 Scitex Digital Printing, Inc. Adjustable reliability parameters in ink jet printing systems
US6299292B1 (en) 1999-08-10 2001-10-09 Lexmark International, Inc. Driver circuit with low side data for matrix inkjet printhead, and method therefor
US6520615B1 (en) * 1999-10-05 2003-02-18 Hewlett-Packard Company Thermal inkjet print head with integrated power supply fault protection circuitry for protection of firing circuitry
US6409298B1 (en) 2000-05-31 2002-06-25 Lexmark International, Inc. System and method for controlling current density in thermal printheads
US6378979B1 (en) * 2000-11-30 2002-04-30 Hewlett-Packard Company Power short circuit detection and protection in a print system
US6481814B2 (en) 2001-02-28 2002-11-19 Lemark International, Inc. Apparatus and method for ink jet printhead voltage fault protection
US6578940B2 (en) 2001-07-25 2003-06-17 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. System for ink short protection
TW539622B (en) 2002-05-16 2003-07-01 Benq Corp Method and related apparatus for performing short and open circuit detecting of ink-jet printer head
US6758547B2 (en) 2002-07-10 2004-07-06 Lexmark International, Inc. Method and apparatus for machine specific overcurrent detection
US6789871B2 (en) 2002-12-27 2004-09-14 Lexmark International, Inc. Reduced size inkjet printhead heater chip having integral voltage regulator and regulating capacitors
US6962399B2 (en) * 2002-12-30 2005-11-08 Lexmark International, Inc. Method of warning a user of end of life of a consumable for an ink jet printer
US7571973B2 (en) 2003-03-22 2009-08-11 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Monitoring fluid short conditions for fluid-ejection devices
US20040241667A1 (en) * 2003-05-30 2004-12-02 Chesk William G. Pulse-jet ejection head diagnostic system
US20050097385A1 (en) * 2003-10-15 2005-05-05 Ahne Adam J. Method of fault correction for an array of fusible links
JP4631850B2 (en) 2004-09-01 2011-02-16 セイコーエプソン株式会社 Printing material container and printing apparatus
GB0419451D0 (en) * 2004-09-02 2004-10-06 Koninkl Philips Electronics Nv Inkjet print head
US7419231B2 (en) * 2005-05-25 2008-09-02 Lexmark International, Inc. Power sensing circuit
JP4144637B2 (en) 2005-12-26 2008-09-03 セイコーエプソン株式会社 Printing material container, substrate, printing apparatus, and method for preparing printing material container
JP2010505642A (en) * 2006-10-09 2010-02-25 シルバーブルック リサーチ ピーティワイ リミテッド Printhead IC with open actuator test
JP5213328B2 (en) * 2006-12-13 2013-06-19 キヤノン株式会社 Recording head, head cartridge, and recording apparatus
US7748815B2 (en) * 2007-08-06 2010-07-06 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Disabling a nozzle
CN102036830B (en) * 2008-05-21 2013-10-09 富士胶片株式会社 Overcurrent detection for droplet ejectors
JP5817445B2 (en) * 2010-11-19 2015-11-18 セイコーエプソン株式会社 Circuit board
JP5760701B2 (en) * 2011-05-30 2015-08-12 セイコーエプソン株式会社 Printing device
PL2817723T3 (en) 2012-02-21 2017-11-30 Zih Corp. Electrically configurable option board interface
US8870337B1 (en) * 2013-04-29 2014-10-28 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Printhead die with damage detection conductor between multiple termination rings
US8864283B1 (en) * 2013-05-09 2014-10-21 Xerox Corporation System and method for visually detecting defective inkjets in an inkjet imaging apparatus
JP2015120307A (en) 2013-12-24 2015-07-02 株式会社リコー Ink jet recording device and short circuit protection method for ink jet recording device
US9561646B2 (en) * 2015-03-27 2017-02-07 Zih Corp. High speed adaptive thermal printhead interface
WO2018143937A1 (en) * 2017-01-31 2018-08-09 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Fluid ejection die including nozzle identification
EP3585617A4 (en) * 2017-04-05 2020-11-18 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. On-die actuator failure detection
JP7218586B2 (en) * 2019-01-28 2023-02-07 セイコーエプソン株式会社 Printhead and activation system

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS57109675A (en) * 1980-12-27 1982-07-08 Toshiba Corp Driving circuit for heat-sensitive head
JPS60159662A (en) * 1984-01-31 1985-08-21 Tokyo Electric Co Ltd Apparatus for detecting fault of heat generating body in thermal head
JPS6119375A (en) * 1984-07-06 1986-01-28 Nec Corp Detecting circuit for thermal head burn-out
JPS6369667A (en) * 1986-09-11 1988-03-29 Fujitsu Ltd Abnormal conduction detection circuit in print head
EP0394699A1 (en) * 1989-04-24 1990-10-31 Lexmark International, Inc. Apparatus and method for detecting failure of thermal heaters in ink jet printers
JPH0377345A (en) * 1989-08-19 1991-04-02 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Semiconductor measuring apparatus
JPH0473151A (en) * 1990-07-13 1992-03-09 Canon Inc Ink jet recorder
US5319389A (en) * 1990-02-26 1994-06-07 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Method of abnormal state detection for ink jet recording apparatus
JPH0768907A (en) * 1993-09-01 1995-03-14 Fujitsu Ltd Ink jet head

Family Cites Families (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4119973A (en) * 1977-09-06 1978-10-10 The Mead Corporation Fault detection and compensation circuit for ink jet printer
US4171527A (en) * 1978-01-09 1979-10-16 International Business Machines Corporation Ink jet contamination detecting system
US4290116A (en) * 1979-05-21 1981-09-15 Centronics Data Computer Corp. Method and apparatus for operating a printer
US4375339A (en) * 1980-12-01 1983-03-01 International Business Machines Corporation Electrically conductive ribbon break detector for printers
US4439776A (en) * 1982-06-24 1984-03-27 The Mead Corporation Ink jet charge electrode protection circuit
US4667117A (en) * 1984-10-31 1987-05-19 International Business Machines Corporation Self-timing and self-compensating print wire actuator driver
DE3634034C2 (en) * 1985-10-09 1994-08-25 Seiko Epson Corp Ink detector for an inkjet printer
EP0264614A1 (en) * 1986-09-11 1988-04-27 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Mos fet drive circuit providing protection against transient voltage breakdown
US4848943A (en) * 1987-04-13 1989-07-18 Micro Peripherals Method and apparatus for energizing a printhead
US4841313A (en) * 1987-06-16 1989-06-20 Delphax Systems RF driver and control
US4838157A (en) * 1988-03-25 1989-06-13 Ncr Corporation Digital printhead energy control system
JP2752486B2 (en) * 1989-12-29 1998-05-18 キヤノン株式会社 INK JET PRINT HEAD, INSPECTION METHOD THEREOF, AND INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS
US5206668A (en) * 1991-10-29 1993-04-27 Hewlett-Packard Company Method and apparatus for detecting ink flow
US5428498A (en) * 1992-09-28 1995-06-27 Xerox Corporation Office environment level electrostatic discharge protection
US5381099A (en) * 1993-03-02 1995-01-10 Unisys Corporation Streak detection for ink-jet printer with obnically connected segment pairs
US5432665A (en) * 1993-03-05 1995-07-11 Sgs-Thomson Microelectronics, Inc. Short circuit protected capacitive load driver

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS57109675A (en) * 1980-12-27 1982-07-08 Toshiba Corp Driving circuit for heat-sensitive head
JPS60159662A (en) * 1984-01-31 1985-08-21 Tokyo Electric Co Ltd Apparatus for detecting fault of heat generating body in thermal head
JPS6119375A (en) * 1984-07-06 1986-01-28 Nec Corp Detecting circuit for thermal head burn-out
JPS6369667A (en) * 1986-09-11 1988-03-29 Fujitsu Ltd Abnormal conduction detection circuit in print head
EP0394699A1 (en) * 1989-04-24 1990-10-31 Lexmark International, Inc. Apparatus and method for detecting failure of thermal heaters in ink jet printers
JPH0377345A (en) * 1989-08-19 1991-04-02 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Semiconductor measuring apparatus
US5319389A (en) * 1990-02-26 1994-06-07 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Method of abnormal state detection for ink jet recording apparatus
JPH0473151A (en) * 1990-07-13 1992-03-09 Canon Inc Ink jet recorder
JPH0768907A (en) * 1993-09-01 1995-03-14 Fujitsu Ltd Ink jet head

Non-Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 10, no. 167 (M - 488) 13 June 1986 (1986-06-13) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 12, no. 292 (M - 729) 10 August 1988 (1988-08-10) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 15, no. 246 (E - 1081) 24 June 1991 (1991-06-24) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 16, no. 284 (M - 1270) 24 June 1992 (1992-06-24) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 6, no. 204 (M - 164) 15 October 1982 (1982-10-15) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 9, no. 334 (P - 417) 27 December 1985 (1985-12-27) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 95, no. 6 31 July 1995 (1995-07-31) *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH10128965A (en) 1998-05-19
EP0805028A2 (en) 1997-11-05
AU1782197A (en) 1997-11-06
BR9701959B1 (en) 2009-01-13
KR970069379A (en) 1997-11-07
MX9703083A (en) 1997-10-31
US5736997A (en) 1998-04-07
DE69723152T2 (en) 2004-05-27
BR9701959A (en) 1998-09-15
CA2198996A1 (en) 1997-10-29
EP0805028B1 (en) 2003-07-02
DE69723152D1 (en) 2003-08-07
AU713118B2 (en) 1999-11-25
CA2198996C (en) 2006-11-21
KR100432072B1 (en) 2004-09-07

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP0805028A3 (en) Method and apparatus for detection of short circuits in thermal ink jet printers
EP1052100A3 (en) Ink jet recording apparatus
EP1366919A3 (en) Ink jet printer and ink jet printing method
EP1029674A3 (en) A system and method for controlling firing operations of an inkjet printhead
JPH11245396A (en) Liquid ink printer and method for printing image
EP0783967A3 (en) Apparatus for driving multiple inkjet printheads
JPH1016230A (en) Printing head and printer
JPH05309834A (en) Ink jet recorder and ink jet head recovery method
US20120206523A1 (en) Inkjet printing device and inkjet printing method
JP3060347B2 (en) Recording device
US5742301A (en) Ink jet printing method and apparatus
JP2002137372A (en) Recorder and its power consumption reducing method
EP1024000A3 (en) Ink-jet recording apparatus
EP0763429B1 (en) Ink jet printhead heating
US7726758B2 (en) Composite printhead fire signals
EP0873869A3 (en) Printhead and driver for jetting heaters and substrate heater in an ink jet printer and method of controlling such heaters
US4951235A (en) Option unit detecting apparatus for electronic equipment
EP0924076A3 (en) Ink jet recording apparatus, recording control method, and storage medium with recording control program stored therein
JPH10180997A (en) Ink jet recording method
JP2005169868A (en) Recording head and recording apparatus equipped with it
JPH06143548A (en) Ink jet recorder
US6621676B2 (en) Method and apparatus to oppose a short circuit failure mechanism in a printer drive circuit
KR0161823B1 (en) Apparatus and method of protecting the head of ink jet printer
JPS63247049A (en) Ink jet printer
JP2004195705A (en) Inkjet recorder equipped with means for detecting abnormality of recording head

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): DE FR GB IT

PUAL Search report despatched

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009013

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A3

Designated state(s): DE FR GB IT

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19990428

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 20000214

GRAH Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS IGRA

GRAH Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS IGRA

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): DE FR GB IT

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: FG4D

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 69723152

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 20030807

Kind code of ref document: P

PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

ET Fr: translation filed
26N No opposition filed

Effective date: 20040405

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IT

Payment date: 20090428

Year of fee payment: 13

Ref country code: FR

Payment date: 20090417

Year of fee payment: 13

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 20090429

Year of fee payment: 13

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Payment date: 20090429

Year of fee payment: 13

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20100429

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: ST

Effective date: 20101230

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20101103

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20100429

Ref country code: GB

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20100429

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20100430